NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has moved quickly to put the Donald Sterling controversy behind it, banning him for life and fining him $2.5 million after confirming that he was on the person on an audio recording making racist comments. Commissioner Adam Silver also says he is going to try to force Sterling to sell the Clippers’ franchise, which is possible if three-fourths of the league’s 29 owners agree.

NEW YORK (AP) — Current and former NBA players are among those welcoming yesterday’s decision by Commissioner Adam Silver to ban Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life. Former NBA star Magic Johnson says Silver “showed great leadership” in banning Sterling, and current star LeBron James of the Miami Heat tweeted his thanks to Silver, calling the first-year commissioner a “great leader.”

UNDATED (AP) — DeAndre Jordan had team highs of 25 points and 18 rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers beat Golden State 113-103 to take a 3-2 lead in the NBA’s Western Conference quarterfinals. The Washington Wizards are in the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in nine years after John Wall scored 24 points and Nene (nay-NAY’) added 20 in a 75-69 stifling of the Bulls in Game 5 at Chicago. Memphis took a 3-2 series lead over the Thunder in the West quarters as Mike Miller scored 21 points and Mike Conley hit the tiebreaking basket with 1:02 remaining in the Grizzlies’ 100-99 triumph at Oklahoma City.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers will take the ice tonight at Madison Square Garden for Game 7 of the NHL first-round series. The Flyers stretched the series to the limit as Wayne Simmonds notched a hat trick while Philly was building a 4-0 lead in a 5-2 win over the Blueshirts last night. Steve Mason stopped 34 shots for the Flyers, who’ve won two of three since he returned from an upper-body injury.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers have parted ways with interim coach Peter Horachek, who replaced Kevin Dineen (duh-NEEN’) as Panthers’ coach on Nov. 8. The Panthers went 26-36-4 with Horachek in charge. Florida finished with the second-lowest point total in the NHL this season and missed the playoffs for the 12th time in 13 seasons.